Festival of Sant' Efisio

Sant' Efisio, Festival of

May 1-4

Although nearly every town and village in Sardinia, Italy, has its own festival, one of the most important is the Sagra di Sant' Efisio at Cagliari, which commemorates the martyrdom of a third-century Roman general who was converted to Christianity and was credited with saving the town from the plague. In early May a procession accompanies a statue of St. Efisio, Sardinia's patron saint, through the streets of Cagliari to the church of Pula, the town where he suffered martyrdom. Three days later the statue returns to Cagliari. Several thousand pilgrims on foot, in carts, or on horseback, wearing costumes that date from the 17th century and earlier, take part in the procession, which culminates in a parade down Cagliari's main avenue that is said to rival the parade on St. Patrick's Day in New York City.

CONTACTS:
Italian Government Tourist Board
630 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1565
New York, NY 10111
212-245-5618; fax: 212-586-9249
www.italiantourism.com

SOURCES:
IntlThFolk-1979, p. 241

Celebration days: May 1 - May 4